The House of Women (42 page)

Angel
turned away, looked down at the business card, read it and then pushed it into his pocket. He wasn’t happy with the way things were developing. He rubbed his hand across his mouth thoughtfully.

DS
Carter peered through the door.

‘
Ah, there you are, sir,’ she said brightly and bounced into the room like a teenager just out of school.

He
looked up and frowned. He wasn’t pleased. ‘Did anybody see anything, sergeant?’ he said sharply.

She
realized that she was at variance with the sombreness of the occasion; it took her a second or two to make the correction.

‘
No, sir,’ she said. ‘Nobody saw an intruder or a man with a ladder or anything suspicious the last few days.’

Angel
grunted. That was the last thing he wanted to hear. ‘Without exception, everybody spoke very well of Mr Redman,’ Carter said. ‘The lady next door, a widow, who is in her seventies, was particularly upset. She lives on her own and they had become quite friendly.’

Angel
took in what Carter had said. He explained the writing on the mirror to her and then said, ‘Go back to the neighbour and ask her if she knows anybody or anything beginning with "V" or what "V to go," might mean.’

‘
Right, sir,’ she said and dashed off.

He
looked at his watch. It was almost eleven o’clock. He reached into his pocket for his mobile and tapped in the CID office number. Ahmed answered.

‘
I asked you to find DS Crisp for me. He hasn’t shown.’

‘
He must be on his way, sir. I had some difficulty finding him but he should be with you by now.’

‘
Well he isn’t, lad, and I want him here.’

‘
He was out dealing with a market vendor who had some bed sheets stolen.’

‘
Chase him up for me. This is a murder inquiry, and the crime scene’s getting cold.’

Angel
heard the closing of the front door.

‘
Hold on a minute, Ahmed.’

Angel
went out into the hall. His eyes met those of a handsome young man in a smart suit. It was DS Crisp.

Angel
glared at him. ‘Where the hell have you been?’ he said. ‘I can never get hold of you when I need you.’

Crisp
affected a look of childlike innocence. It was his speciality, but Angel was well aware of it. ‘I didn’t know we were on a murder shout, sir,’ he said. ‘I was taken up with a shoplifting case in town.’

Angel
was exasperated beyond measure, but with Crisp it was a waste of time. He ran his hand through his hair and said, ‘Come in here.’

Crisp
followed him into the drawing room and glanced round. ‘Very nice, sir. I wouldn’t mind living here.’

Angel
pointed to a chair and Crisp flopped into it.

Angel
’s grip on the mobile tightened. ‘Are you still there, Ahmed? He’s arrived, at long last! There’s something I want you to do. There are a couple of people...Cyril Krill and his wife, Kathleen Krill aka Kathleen Redman. Look them up. See if they’re known to us and ring me back.’

Angel
cancelled the mobile and dropped it into his pocket. He looked at Crisp. ‘Did you hear what I said to Ahmed, lad?’

‘
A couple of suspects, sir. Husband and wife. Cyril and Kathleen Krill aka Kathleen Redman.’

‘
They’re not exactly suspects. Up to now, they’re witnesses. We haven’t any suspects.’

‘
So we’re scratching about, sir?’

‘
That’s exactly it, so I want you to find out what you can about her, Kathleen Krill. She’s the daughter of the dead man. She went to see her daughter at Rosehill Academy, Weeton on the Water, Gloucestershire, this last weekend. Find out when she went and when she came back. Also find out what you can about her marriage to Cyril. He’s a builder and property developer in Sheffield.’

‘
Right, sir. And do you want me to check out the husband, while I’m about it?’

‘
No. I’m getting Carter to do that.’

Crisp
’s eyebrows went up. ‘Oh, DS Carter’s arrived then? What’s he like?’

Angel
wrinkled his nose. ‘Different,’ he said. ‘Now push off lad and crack on with it.’

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